⇨ EDEN PT. 3

[ringleaders]

Who: Everyone!
When: End of Day 88, on to Day 89
Where: Eden
What: The carnival breaks into two groups, as one entertains the Architect Samyaza at her festival, and the other assaults the Cathedral through a secret passageway with the intent of claiming the Silver Mirror and liberating those imprisoned.
Warnings: Ritual sacrifices.

IN GOD'S HANDS↴ Only those left in Eden and remaining undetected will be able to come to Samyaza's festival, which is an increasingly small group. It's also a dangerous proposition - there's no way to know what Samyaza has in store for her visitors, only that she apparently wants to interact with them before allowing the other Architects to act. It could work as an excellent distraction, drawing the eyes of the Architects towards the festival instead of towards the Cathedral while the attempt to claim the Mirror is taking place. For those that arrive in Samyaza's gardens, they are beautiful and well prepared, and music of otherworldly perfection flows through them. Tables are arranged with amazing works of art as their centerpieces, while the trees themselves are made into dazzling displays of color with an effect that seems to turn their leaves into pure light. Samyaza will be presiding, a hare that looks like she's made of something ephemeral, like wind of pure colour. She invites you in kindly, saying that before she speaks, she will honour you with a song... ► THE SET UP: For the first hour or so, the festival will be nothing but celebration. There are other Honorables there, but not as many as usual - the main event are you and the other new arrivals. After the hour mark, Samyaza will perform her song. Until then, threads can be made focusing on the pre-song mingling and planning. Will you listen when she sings? ► THE TWIST: There will be more happening at the festival than Samyaza plans. While she is comfortable waiting to act, other Architects are less patient. ON HOLY GROUND↴ With carnival members (and Ignatius) in enemy hands, there's no more time for hestitation. Based on the information given to her by various carnies, the Ringmaster will meet with the Furies and declare her intent to attack the Cathedral's underground during Samyaza's festival on the evening of Day 88. The Furies will agree, saying that those they have on the inside will use their influence to ensure there are as few Architects and Scholars are blocking their way as possible, but they must all still expect a fight. Furies from the base in the barrens will be coming along with this raid group, using what information they have to speed transit through the underground tunnels. They only ask two things - that after the Mirror is collected, it be used to save the lives of Hasma and the other captured Furies, before being used to repair the mind of the Serpent herself. ► THE SET UP: The Ringmaster will lead the way into the secret ruins that Childermass and the other found - the main difference is that she will smash right through the cracked wall defending the depths of the Cathedral, clearing the path entirely with her now serpentine body. Her plan is this - to draw the attention of the Architects to the surface by taking on the appearance if the Serpent, while carnival members and assisting Furies search the tunnels below to find the Mirror and the captives. ► THE TWIST: The people captured by the Twelve and imprisoned in the garden (AKA characters on the TDM) will be found, but the carnival members won't be. At least, not in the same place as the other captives. A megathread will go up for the group that goes to capture the Mirror, but you are free to NPC and thread confrontations will Scholars that are protecting the underground prison and the chambers where the Twelve held their meetings. Please report any Scholars that are killed or seriously harmed to the mods. Lambert will be leading the part of the group heading towards the Mirror, while Sans will head the group searching the tunnels for captives. Now is the time to let loose and use all your powers. It's probably best to keep your disguise to catch people off guard, but it is no longer necessary. New characters will be directed to post here once accepted.

Comments

[whattaprick]

Lambert doesn't say anything at first, remaining perched on Tyki's shoulder, trying not to let his claws puncture him as his claws prickle. Given the talent he's been 'blessed' with, that would go poorly.

Instead, he looks up in the same direction Rita is, at the artificial sky, to see if it's shifted at all in the time they've stood here.

[anti_nonsense]

Rita sweeps a hand, dispelling her magic-hacking interface. She didn't expect that Armaros would give negotiating a chance, after what she did to Sans. But if she's willing to hold back while they're talking, then Rita supposes she can ease off, herself.

"The fact is that we need the Mirror," she says to Penemue. "We didn't think you guys would entertain the idea of letting someone walk away with it, worthy or not. That's why we opted for all the sneaking and deceit." She says it matter-of-factly, without much apparent shame. It seems like everyone here already knows the score, so there's no point in mincing words.

"But if there's another way..." she begins, then stops and starts again. "When you say she might doubt our competence... what do you mean by that? What makes someone 'worthy'?"

[npcarnival]

"The Mirror has immense power, we realize that much," Penemue says, lifting his wings. "Lilith perhaps has a noble intent, but her ambitions may not be realistic, leading her to cruelty in the face of failure. Yet, her actions are not far-reaching."

"There are worse places for such a powerful thing to be, worse causes to toil against. We've known so little of your intent - for so long we have merely wondered who and what you are."

"The Mirror itself is a weigher of souls. Yet, it is not a weigher of Goodness."

[periphrasing]

Peridot is finding it incredibly difficult to keep her mouth shut right now, through all of this. She shuffles impatiently on Tyki's shoulder, trying to keep her nerves from getting the better of her, keeping her ears strained for anything unusual.

[spaghettimonster]

It sure isn't welcome news that Armaros is watching from some mysterious shady corner, and Papyrus glances around suspiciously... but there's nothing to see. Syr's spell is holding too, at least, so nobody can see anybody except the conversation in the middle of the room.

...But the negotiation doesn't seem to be working out. The Architects sound skeptical, expecting that Lilith might be bad - but anybody else would be worse. And if they keep thinking that, and thinking too hard about how the Carnival folk hurt people on their way in...

It might become a fight that they can't win, divided as they are.

"I want to protect my friends...!" Papyrus bursts out, invisible but not inaudible. "Not make things perfect, or change the world. Just give my brother and everybody a break from running, and fighting. Most of us," he can't say all, because that's sure not true, "don't want to hurt people."

[chronosynthesis]

Syrlya jerks, staring at Papyrus for a moment, then looking between him and Penemue before he shortly waves his hand to drop the veil on Papyrus. He'd ask to excuse the sudden visibility if he wasn't hiding, but a disembodied voice is probably more alarming than anything.

[whattaprick]

Though Lambert falls firmly in the category of people who want to hurt people, he and Papyrus share this particular wavelength, at least. His interest in the Mirror extends as far as its ability to help the people he cares about, and he isn't convinced there isn't a catch here waiting to be sprung on them.

With Peridot shuffling on the other side of Tyki's shoulder, though... he's going to reach around behind the man's head and plant a paw on her back. Settle down, Peridot.

[prazerbutterfly]

He feels the prickle of claws, even through the material of his shirt, and he glances over at Lambert and then Peridot shifting impatiently. He hasn't talked to keep them concealed, hasn't moved to keep himself rooted to the spot as well, for the exact same reasons. Tyki resists the urge to pet either of them, reminding himself that they aren't ordinary animals, but a hand does lift to rest near the both of them to soothe if need be. He wants to weigh in but then his own reasons for acquiring the mirror are mostly because it was what the Ringmaster wanted yet he shared the same interests from Papyrus, who just revealed himself by talking.

For now, he just reads body language, watching the conversation from afar. If his time with Princess in the Underbelly taught him anything, if there was a spider nearby they were likely in a corner or the thickest section of webs where the threads didn't extend so long like lifelines. It's just unfortunate he could see such delicate work at hand.

[npcarnival]

Penemue has to take a moment to stare at Papyrus, not expecting to see a skeleton, generally speaking. He tilts his head, but in the end, he's not the first one to speak.

"Umab," a voice said from above. "Was that your brother?"

Overhead, a giant huntsman spider is lowering itself into the room, seemingly from nowhere. It hovers over Papyrus in particular.

"You say you are running. From what, exactly?"

[atouts]

That spider has no right to be that big, in Childermass's most honest of opinions. He shuffles around on Rita's shoulder some so he can turn and properly eye her.

"That would be the Faerie Courts," he answers. "They'd very much like to destroy our own home and enslave whoever they don't kill in the process."

[npcarnival]

"So if the Mirror originated from the faerie queens..." Penemue muses. "You intend to use their own weapons against them?"

He doesn't sound doubtful or anything, just curious.

"And what is the cause of your dispute with the fae?" Armaros asks, more critically. "Aren't you one of them?"

[moonfang]

When the spider drops from the ceiling, Zangetsu sneers. So at least one of the Architects had the ability (and the good sense) to hide their spiritual pressure. Sneaky little....

Either way, all this talking is boring, and Zangetsu crosses his legs and sits midair. Them? Fae? Hilarious. He mumbles mostly to himself, "Ha... if we were completely fae, we woulda just rolled in here, grabbed the mirror, and turned this pretty little garden into a parking lot."

[spaghettimonster]

Papyrus looks up the moment he hears a voice above him, and takes a couple reflexive steps back when he sees it's a spider. Much less one that's mentioning his brother and asking him about it. This is almost exactly a conversation he didn't want to have.

"That... You're right, about the first question." Not that Umab is his brother's name, but maybe Armaros doesn't need to know that, yet. "However... We're not fae! We're just... working with one? And the fae-ness rubs off on you, a little."

[periphrasing]

"I think the general idea is to use the mirror more defensively than go seeking out a fight," Peridot adds to answer Penemue's question directly, after jumping off of Tyki's shoulder and gliding to land on the floor a few feet away. If Papyrus and Zan are going to blow their cover, she doesn't see why she should keep holding on to hers as well!

"Plus, it's really just the summer and winter courts that we take issue with. Our boss isn't from either."

[chronosynthesis]

Syrlya bites his tongue as Peridot speaks up next, and very shortly her stealth will drop off as well. He looks openly annoyed at them for a moment before he smooths his expression back out. He watches both Architects intently under stealth, looking for any sudden or suspicious movement.

[npcarnival]

The two Architects look at each other, and then Penemue tilts his head at the group.

"You will have to forgive our relative ignorance regarding the specifics of fae, our historical data regarding them is minimal, and it was only with great fortune that we diagnosed your situation to begin with."

Armaros looms closer to Papyrus, looking at him curiously.

"Would it be correct to foresee that this item may be entangled in otherworldly conflicts regardless of who claims it?" Penemue asks.

Neither of them seem surprised by how many people are uncloaking, so take that as you will.

[whattaprick]

So much for sticking to one story. Lambert briefly contemplates the merits of telling everyone to shut up and not be quite so willing to show their hand to the Architects, but he decides the satisfaction isn't worth dropping the element of surprise. Anyway, it's not as if his input's likely to be helpful, here.

Instead, he looks to Syrlya, shaking his head at the Mesmer slightly. If nothing else, the Furies haven't dropped their own concealment yet, and that's a good enough cue to follow. Though for all he knows, Duma and Agla have already slipped up to the room with the mirror and long left this conversation behind. Yet this has been the Furies' fight longer than it ever was the Carnival's, and he wonders what they think of the apparent revelation that there could be other voices amongst the Architects that could be considered sympathetic.

[prazerbutterfly]

It takes a lot for him not to verbally announce his displeasure but if it's working, then he can't complain. Even if they know others are there, he'd rather stick to the stealth for now. His eyes turn away from the bird to the spider, watching it descend closer towards Papyrus. The look on his face definitely shows his mood but he shrugs gently on the shoulder Lambert isn't on.

Half of him wants to go check out where the mirror is but he isn't entirely aware of how well the Architects can see them, nor can he really spot the webs or navigate around them. They spotted Rita and Childermass after all, somehow. He looks towards Lambert for a long moment, considering moving but then just doesn't. It's not worth it without a proper plan.

[periphrasing]

"We're definitely not the only ones searching for it, we can promise you that much," Peridot huffs, glancing up at Penemue. "If you want more specifics on the fae, allow me to give you a succinct explanation: Given the choice between being infiltrated by Summer, Winter, or us, we're the most ideal option. Because we're the only group of the three that doesn't have any interest in razing this place to the ground and enslaving everybody here. If the Summer or Winter court come looking for that mirror, they will literally destroy you. That's fact."

[npcarnival]

Penemue is quiet for a long few moments, and then looks to Armaros.

"She's telling the truth," he says.

Armaros doesn't question it: "I see... I will go ahead to speak to Saraqael. We may not have much time left."

And with that, the spider climbs back up to the ceiling, right through her barrier of webs. She sits on the ceiling mirrors surface only for a moment, before her reflection takes over and crawls away to the other side.

[spaghettimonster]

Papyrus watches her departure with the glistening of sweaty relief, and squints at the strange motions above of reflections moving differently - they did mention needing to do things with their reflections,to get to the real mirror, but it's odd.

"Is... Is that it? You believe us, just like that?"

[anti_nonsense]

All this time, Rita's been watching Armaros with a wary look. She'd expected the worst from the spider, but the Architect actually heard them out. Maybe there really is hope for a peaceful agreement between them...

When the spider departs, she turns her attention back to Penemue.

"There's another thing. I'm sure you know already, but one of our people is inside the Mirror. I'd like to try and get him out sooner rather than later." She's not sure if this is pushing it, but then again, she suspects the Twelve would want him out of there, too.

[npcarnival]

"I am able to discern truth when the evidence is before me," Penemue says, simply. Then he looks to Rita. "I have spoken to your person. He seemed quite convinced that he was a master of the device in his own right."

Penemue definitely sounds wry about that observation.

"However, we have no such mastery over removing entire peoples from the Mirror. It may be beyond us."

[periphrasing]

Peridot is downright stunned by how smoothly this seems to be going, but the discussion of Strange throws her off kilter a bit. She doesn't like the sound of Penemue's uncertainty; she's still mad at Strange, but she'd still very much prefer if he didn't remain trapped in the creepy faerie artifact?

"That clod," she groans under her breath, eyes rolling ceiling-ward as a pained expression crinkles her little bat brows.

[anti_nonsense]

Rita rolls her eyes, perfectly able to picture Strange and his bullshitting. "Yeah... of course he was," she mutters dryly.

In truth, the possibility that Strange could be trapped forever is one that's crossed Rita's mind... but each and every time, she quickly pushes the thought away.

"There has to be a way. Look... I'm a scholar. Magic artifacts are one of my specialties. You and the other Architects might have more experience with the Mirror itself, but if I could examine it, maybe I can figure something out." It might seem absurd, asking to use something her group clearly intended to steal just minutes ago. But if Penemue's so sure of his ability to discern truth, maybe he can see that she genuinely wants to get that idiot out of there, first and foremost.